Means and method for making and sealing boxes and the like



Nov. 27, 1928.

5. BERGSTEIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THE LIKEFiled June 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Nov. 27, 1928.

. S. BERGSTEIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THELIKE Filed June 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV m M ATTORNEY Nov. 27,1928. 1,693,172

s. BERGSTEIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THE LIKEFiled June 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1928.

S. BERGSTEIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THE LIKEFiled June 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 27, 1928. v s. BERGSTEIN MEANSAND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THE LIKE INVENTOR.

5 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 21, 1926 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN, 0F MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERSTATE FOLD-ING BOX -COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

' MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND SEALING BOXES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 21,

' This invention relates to improved means and method for making andsealing boxes having particular reference to paper boxes.

In general practice the invention includes a first step of box making inwhich an adhesive element is applied to the box blanks or to papersheets from which the blanks are cut, the application of the adhesive onthe sheets being in predetermined positions on the sheet according tothe size and shape of the boxes to be made. The box blanks are thencut-from the sheets and are shipped fiat or assembled knocked-down asbox stock to the customer.

The second step of practicing the invention includes the special machineherein set forth used by the customer for assembling and sealing orotherwise closing) the boxes, the contents being placed in the oxesincident to the operations for forming and sealing the boxes on themachine.

The main objects attained in the invention are, first, the simplicityand relatively low cost of the machine for assembling the boxes; second,the improved construction of the boxes, having reference to the strengthand appearance of the sealed portions; third, the speed of operation infilling and sealing the boxes and the resulting low cost in preparingthe articles of merchandise for distribution;

The machine for assembling boxes of a representative type isillustrated, in a preferred form, in the accompanying drawings in whichFig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fi .3

*ig. 5 is a (perspective view of the adhesive moistening evice;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the moistening device;

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a box blank of one type of boxand the box as folded preceding sealing;

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of a box blank of a modified typeof box and the box knocked-down;

Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views illustrating progressive steps offolding and sealing the ends of the box.

Fig. 13 is a View in ,side elevation of a 1926. Serial No. 117,350.

modification illustrating an adaptation of the machine for motor drive;

Figs. 14 and 15 are detail views of the motor drive;

Fig. 16 is a view in perspective of a modified adhesive moistener.

The box forming and sealing machine as here shown comprises a suitableframe structure 1 which serves to support at its opposite ends shafts 2,a set of sprockets 3 spaced one from another transversely of themachine, and traversed by endless chains or carriers 4, being secured tothe shafts, the shaft at the rear end of the machine being sup ported ina slidable bearing 2* for adjusting the chain. The front shaft 2 isdriven by means of a treadle 5 pivoted as at 6 on a bracket 7 secured toframe 1, the treadle being further connected by a link 8 to the slottedend 9 of a bell crank lever 10, the opposite end of the lever having apawl 11 coacting with a ratchet 12 secured to a shaft 13 supported in abracket 14c on frame 1. Shaft 13 is connected to shaft 2 by sprockets15-16 secured to the respective shafts and achain 17 traversing thesprockets. The treadle lever is provided with a slot 18 which serveswith the slot 9 in the bell crank lever 10 and the link 8 for adjustingthe stroke of the treadle, a guide 19 secured to a bracket 20 on frame 1serving to prevent lateral movement of the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that upon operation ofthe treadle the carriers 4 will be given a step by step movement in thedirection'indicated by the arrow 21, the extent of movement beingdetermined by adjustment of link 8 relative to slots 918. It will beobvious that suitable power means, as the-motor illustrated in Fig. 13,may be employed for imparting the step by step movement to the carriers4, the means for operatin the carriers here shown being for the simp estform of the machine adapted for manual operation.

The carriers 4 serve for moving the boxes over the machine to effectclosing and sealing of the boxes after the contents have been placedtherein. To this end each carrier is provided with a plurality of arms22 suitably spaced one from another to receive a box therebetween andextended upwardly in the upper course of the carriers to engage theboxes and move the same into engagement successively with moisteningdevices for rendering the coacting sealing flaps adhesive,

folding devices for bringing the flaps together and pressure devices foreffecting firm adhesion between the folded portions.

The contents are placed in the boxes manually, as here shown, on a table24, two forms of boxes as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 being used, thebox blank 25 as shown in Fig. 7 being Hat, and the knocked-down form ofthe box 26 as shown in Fig. 10 having the first step of assembling madein the sealed joint 27 both forms being equally adaptable for receivingthe contents and closing and sealing on the machine. For furtherdescribing the invention the box as illustrated in Fig. 8 only will beconsidered.

The box blank is placed flat on table 24 in the position illustrated inFig. 7 the. contents laid on portion a of the blank, portion b0 foldedupward at right angles to portions -a and portion a folded again inwardat right angles to portion b, portions de being then folded in likemanner to portions 12 0 thus forming the tubular body of the box aroundthe contents with the opening flap 0 free inside of port-ion e with theend flaps fghz' extended at both ends of the box, end flaps -f, which ashere shown have adhesive j applied thereto, being on the u per side ofthe box. The box is then moved orward on table 24 in position to beengaged by arms 22 of the opposite carriers as the foot treadle isoperated.

As the boxes are engaged by arms 22 a laterally and forwardly extendedportion 23 of each arm engages the adjacent end flap -g on the oppositeends of the box and effects a right angle fold on the same in theforward direction, the opposite end flaps z', as the box is movedforward, being engaged and folded at right angles in inverse directionby the forwardly extended ends of opposite, longitudinally extended,pressure elements 25 which act to first fold the flaps i and then toretain flaps g'i in folded relation until the folding and sealing of thebox is completed.

In the first step of closing the ends of the box,-folding the innerflaps 9-4, the outer flaps fh, being the upper and lower flapsrespectively in the position of the box on the machine, remain extendedas the box passed under opposite upper guides 26 with flaps 7 extendedin a plane to be brought into en gage'ment with moistening devices 27arranged on opposite sides of the machine as best illustrated withrespect to one of the devices in Fig. 2, which act to render theportions j adhesive. As the boxes are moved out of engagement with themoistening devices the forward curved ends 28-29 of fixed guides 3031arranged on opposite.

sides and extended longitudinally of the machine act successively onflaps f-h to fold one toward the other over the pressure guides 25, thecurved ends 28 acting to fold flaps f in advance of the folding offiapsh, the lat ter flaps overlapping the portions of flaps h by amplemargins to effect firm adhesive joints .as the flaps, supported fromwithin by the pressure guides 25, are acted upon by a series of springtensioned pressure devices 32arranged on opposite sides of the machinein the plane of the joints as the boxes are moved through the machine onthe carriers 4.

The effective sealing of the ends of the boxes which is an objectattained in'the improved apparatus results from four elements whichenter into the practice of the invention, namely, applying a quickacting adhesive, preferably strips ,of double faced adhesive tape, tothe box blanks, rendering the tape Provision is made on the machine forboxes of different sizes. To this end the brackets 33, upon which guides30 and 31 and side rails 34, to which the pressure devices 32 aresecured, are supported, as best shown in Fig. 4, are each provided withslotted upwardly extended brackets 35 for raising and lowering members34 and the upper guide members 30 according to the heights of the boxesas the same are disposed horizontally on the machine. Brackets 33 arealso slotted at their bases, as best illustrated in Fig. 3 to providefor adjusting the space between parts 303134 on opposite sides of themachine to the length'of the boxes as the same are disposed transverselyof the machine on the carrier. The pressure members 25 are supportedonly on the front brackets 33, the rearwardly extended portions of thesame being free or floating and thus adapted to be enfolded by thesealing flaps fh of the boxes, the sealing being effected, as stated, bycompression of the flaps between parts 25 and 32.

In the practice of the invention any suitable means for rendering thesealing flaps adhesive are contemplated. As here shown, strips of doublefaced adhesive tape 9' are applied on sheets of paper from which theblanks for the boxes are cut. The tape requires only the applicationofmoisture to render the same instantly and effectively adhesive; also theadhesive sets quickly and only slight pressure is required for arelatively short interval to effect a firm joint. As shown the machineis equipped with the moistening devices 27 on opposite sides of themachine, the details of the moisteners being shown in Figs. 5 and 6. 4

Each moistener comprises an adjustable frame structure consisting of arod 36 secured in a split bearing 37 on frame 1, extended laterally ofthe machine and having a split bearing 38 at its free end in which avertically extended rod 39 is supported. Extended laterally from rod 39is an upper fixed cylindrical member 40 supported on a stem 41 securedto rod 39 by a split bearing 42; a lower member 43 secured to rod 39 bya split bearing 44, being curved upwardly to support the.

moisture tray 45, the under side of the memher being convexed andserving as the lower support for a web 46 of material, as felt,whichabsorbs and transmits moisture freely, the upper support for the webbeing part .40. oist-ure is transmitted to the web by capillary actionby means of wicks supported in part 40 as illustrated in 6 and h-avingtheir lower ends suspended in the moisture tray. Coacting with part 43is a support 48, secured to rod 39 by a split bearing 49, for thesealing flaps -f as the same are brought into position on the carrierfor receiving the moisture. The web 46 being in free contact with part48 acts to distribute the moisture evenly over the taped portion -j, theweb moving at random under the frictional action thereon.

For box blanks not prepared in advance with adhesive, suitable adhesiveapplying devices may be substituted for the moistening devices, glue orgum being applied to the portions of the sealing flaps covered by theadhesive tape -j. For certain types of boxes this method of applying theadhesive to the sealing flaps will be preferred. The practice of theinvention contemplates any suitable method of rendering the sealingflaps adhesive as by applying the adhesive to the paper sheets beforethe blanks are cut, or to the blanks after the same are cut from thesheet, or to the blanks as the same are run on the box forming machine.

The motor drive for the machine illustrated in Fig. 13 consists of themotor 50 supported on a base 50, friction drive coupling 51, worm gears52-53, gear casing 54, shafts 55-55, clutch 56, the means for operatingthe clutch consisting of a bell crank lever 57 pivoted on a bracket 58and connected to afoot lever 59 by a link 60. A sprocket 51 is connectedto shaft 55 by a sprocket 62 and chain 63 thus serving to transmit thedriving movement from the motor, reduced by the worm gears 52-53, tointermittent gears 64-65 supported respectively on shafts 66-67, theconnection from the latter to shaft 2 and thence to the box carrier 4being by a chain 17 and sprockets 3-16. The driving connection asdescribed is effective for operating the box carrier in a step by stepmovement at a speed suitable for forming and sealing the boxes.

The intermittent movement from gears 64-65 is also transmitted to theadhesive moistener through a'pin wheel 69-70 supported on-shaft 67, bellcrank levers 83-85 connected one with the other by a wire 84, the wirebeing drawn in one direction by a spring 84*. Lever 83 is connected tothe upper web roller 76 by a pawl and ratchet 82-76. best shown indetail Fig. 16 the web roller 7 6 is supported rotatably on a stem andhas a recess 77 formed around it for a travelling wick 7 7', whichextends into the moist-urestray 78, being supported in the tray by astem 80, and acts to conduct moisture from the tray to the adhesivemoistener 81. The brackets 72, 73, 74 and sealing flap support 7 8, allsupported adjustably on post 71, are similar to the corresponding parts38, 49, 44, 42 and 48 of the moistening device illustrated in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing detailed description and from the illustrations ofthe drawings,

the construction and operation of the improved box machine and themethod of filling, closing and sealingboxes on the same will bereadilyunderstood.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The herein described method of forming, filling and sealing boxesconsisting in preparing the sealing flaps of box blanks with adhesive inenveloping a content in blank with sealing flaps extended, in causingthe box to be acted on successively, to render one of the sealing flapsadhesive, to fold the sealing flaps one relative to another over a.supporting element, and to effect adhesion between the flaps by causingopposing pressures to be applied upon the flaps between said supportingelement and coacting pressure elements.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a carrier for movingboxes with end flaps extended, a member movable with the carrier actingto fold an inner end flap thereof in the direction of said movement, a

fixed supporting member extended along the path of the boxes acting tofold an opposite inner end flap in inverse direction, means disposed inthe path of the outer extended end flaps acting to render one of thesame adhesive, opposite fixed members disposed in the plane of the outerend flaps acting successively to fold one flap relative to another oversaid supportin member and pressure means coacting Wlfil the supportingmember to apply opposing pressures upon the outer end flaps foreffecting adhesion therebetween.

3. A machine of the character described comprisinga carrier for movingboxes with end flaps extended, a member movable with the carrier actinto fold an end fla thereof in the direction 0 said movement, a xedsupporting member extended along the path of the boxes acting to fold anopposite inner end flap in inverse direction, means disposed in.

the path of the outer extended end flaps acting to render one of thesame adhesive, opposite fixed members disposed in the plane of the outerend flaps and shaped to deflect the end flaps successively and to foldthe same one I flap overlapping another oversaid supporting member,and-pressure means'coacting with the supporting member to apply opposingpressures upon theouterend flaps for effecting adhesion therebetWeen Q i4. A machine of the character described comprising a carrier for movingboxes with end flaps extended, a member acting to engage the boxes onthe carrier and to fold an inner end flap in the direction of saidmovement, a supporting member extended along the path of the boxesacting to fold an opposite inner end flap in inverse direction anddisposed over said folded flaps in frictional engagement therewith asthe boxes are moved on the carrier, means disposed in the path of theouter extended end flaps acting to render one of the same adhesive,opposite fixed members dis posed in the plane of the outer end flapsacting successively to fold one flap relative to another over saidsupporting member and outer faces of the folded end flaps as the boxesare moved on the carrier, means disposed in the path of the outerextended end flaps acting to render one of the same adhesive, oppositefixed members disposed in the plane of the outer end flaps actingsuccessively to fold one fiap relative to another over said supportingmember and pressure means eoacting with the supporting member to applyopposing pres sures upon the outer end flaps for effectin adhesiontherebetween.

6. A machine of the character described comprising, a carrier operablestep-by-step for moving boxes with end fiaps extended, a

table upon which the boxes are folded and filled and moved manually tosaid carrier interspersed between the stepped movements thereof, amember movable with the carrier acting to engage and move the boxes withthe carrier and to fold an inner end flap thereof in the direction ofsaid movement, a-fixed sup porting member extended along the path of theboxes acting to fold an opposite inner end flap in inverse direction,means disposed in the path of the outer extended end flaps acting torender one of the same adhesive, opposite fixed members disposed in theplane of the outer end flaps acting successively to fold one flaprelative to another over said supporting member and pressure means.coacting with the supporting member to apply opposing pressures uponthe outer end flaps for effecting adhesion therebetween.

7. A machine of the character described comprising opposite coactingcarriers for moving boxes with the end flaps at the opposite ends of thebox extended, a member movable with the carriers acting to fold an innerend flap at each end of'the box in the direction of said movement,opposite supporting members extended along the path of the box one infrictional engagement with each end of the box and acting to foldanother inner end flap at each end of the box in inverse direction,means disposed in the path of,the outer extended end flaps acting torender one of the same at each end of the box adhesive, opposite meansextended in the path of the outer end flaps at each end of the boxacting to fold the flaps over said supporting member one flapoverlappingthe adhesive portion of the other flap, and pressure means coacting withthe supporting members to apply opposing pressures upon the outer endflaps for effecting adhesion therebetween.

8. A machine of the character described comprising means for movingpaper boxes progressively with end flaps extended into operativerelation with a series of devices actan opposite end flap inversely tothe direction of movement of the boxes, to render an end flap disposedin a horizontal plane adhesive and to fold the same downwardly, to foldan opposite end flap disposed in a horizontal plane upwardly over theadhesive coated portion of the upper end flap, and to effect adhesionbetween the last named end flaps by applying opposing pressures thereon.

9. A machine of the character described comprising means for movingpaper boxes progressively with end flaps extended into operativerelation with a series of devices acting concurrently on opposite endsof the boxes in the following sequence; to fold an end flap disposed ina vertical plane in the direction of movement of the boxes, to fold anopposite end flap inversely to the direction of movement of the boxes,to render an end flap disposed in a horizontal plane adhesive and tofold the same downwardly, to fold an opposite end flap disposed in ahorizontal plane upwardly over the adhesive coated portion of the upperend flap, and to effect adhesion between the last named end flaps byapplying opposing pressures thereon, and means for effecting adjustmentsof said devices to adapt the machine for boxes of variable sizes.

10. A machine of the character described comprising an endless carrierfor moving boxes disposed horizontally with end flaps extendedtransversely of the machine, a series of devices arranged on oppositesides of the machine in the planes of the extended end flaps actingconcurrently on the opposite to old the same downwardly, to fold anopposite end flap disposed in a horizontal plane upwardly over theadhesive, coated portion of the upper end flap, and to effect adhesionbetween the last named end flaps by applying opposing pressures thereon.

11. A machine of the character described comprising an endless carrierfor moving boxes disposed horizontally with end flaps extendedtransversely of the machine, a series of devices arranged along thecourse of the carrier, defining a channular passage for the boxes andacting concurrently on opposite endsof the boxes to close and seal thesame in the following sequence: to fold an end flap disposed in avertical plane in the direction of movement of the boxes, to fold anopposite end fla inversely to the direction of movement 0 the boxes, torender an end flap dissed in a horizontal plane adhesive and to old thesame downwardly, to fold an opposite end flap disposed in a horizontalplane upwardly over the adhesive coated portion of the upper end flap,and to effect adhesion between the last named end flaps by applyingopposing pressures thereon.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN;

